College basketball in mid-January is basically a minefield. One day you’re sitting pretty in the AP Top 25, and the next, some mid-major program you barely recognized on the schedule is celebrating at mid-court while your fans stare into the abyss. Friday night—January 16, 2026—was exactly that kind of chaos.
Honestly, if you weren't glued to the screens, you missed a night where the "safe" bets went up in smoke. We saw Top 25 programs sweating out results against unranked conference foes, while the Division III circuit produced some of the most lopsided and high-scoring affairs we’ve seen all season.
NCAA Basketball Yesterday Scores: The Powerhouse Programs on the Brink
The biggest headline from the ncaa basketball yesterday scores has to be what went down in Lawrence. Kansas was hosting Baylor in a massive Big 12 showdown that had "grind-it-out defensive struggle" written all over it. Instead, we got a masterclass in interior dominance.
Flory Bidunga and Darryn Peterson basically turned Allen Fieldhouse into their personal playground. They combined for a staggering 49 points. What’s even wilder is their efficiency; they went 22-for-27 from the field. When your primary scorers are shooting over 80%, you aren't going to lose many games. Kansas walked away with an 80-62 win, making a very loud statement to the rest of the Big 12.
Meanwhile, the Big East is proving to be a nightly bloodbath. DePaul, a team that has struggled for consistency, managed to knock off Marquette 80-75. It's the kind of result that makes bracketologists throw their laptops across the room. Marquette has the talent, but DePaul found a way to close it out in the final four minutes, proving once again that road wins in this conference are never guaranteed.
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Big Ten and Big East Chaos
It wasn't just DePaul pulling off surprises. Providence and Creighton got into a literal track meet. Usually, these two prioritize defense, but they combined for 181 points yesterday. Providence eventually secured the 93-88 win.
Over in the Big Ten, Dayton continued its tear by absolutely dismantling Loyola Chicago 78-51. If you've been sleeping on the Flyers, it's time to wake up. They are playing a brand of disciplined basketball that is going to be a nightmare for anyone they face in March.
Mid-Major Madness and Friday Night Lights
If you look past the blue bloods, the ncaa basketball yesterday scores from the smaller conferences were actually more entertaining. Kent State and Toledo played a game that felt like a postseason final in January. Kent State eked it out 87-84, but that game was back-and-forth until the final buzzer.
- Ball State 76, Ohio 71: A classic MAC battle where free throws down the stretch decided the fate of the Bobcats.
- Boise State 79, Colorado State 73: The Mountain West continues to be the most underrated conference in the country. Boise State's physical play was just too much for the Rams.
- Augustana University 106, Minnesota State Moorhead 99: Yes, you read that right. Over 200 points in a single game. It was pure offensive fireworks from start to finish.
Women's Hoops: The Defense Rises
The women’s side of the bracket yesterday was dominated by defensive clinics, specifically in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA). Stony Brook put on a masterclass against Hofstra. They held the Pride to just 44 points.
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Caitlin Frost was the undisputed MVP of that matchup. She put up a double-double with 11 points and 16 rebounds. It’s hard to lose when one player is vacuuming up almost every miss on the glass. Stony Brook pulled away in the second half, turning a four-point lead into a 17-point blowout.
Hampton also showed some serious grit. They fell behind 12-2 early against William & Mary. Most teams would fold under that kind of pressure on the road. Instead, Kayla Lezama went on a personal 9-2 run to bridge the gap. Hampton eventually took the lead and never looked back, winning 59-49. It's that kind of mental toughness that defines mid-season conference play.
Other Notable Women's Results:
- Charleston 74, Drexel 64: Taryn Barbot lived up to the hype, dropping 25 points.
- Elon 72, UNCW 62: Ashanti Fox went off for a career-high 17 points, all of which came in the first half.
- Campbell 61, Northeastern 51: A balanced attack saw four different Camels hit double digits.
Why These Scores Matter for the Tournament
We are officially in the "moving" month. This is when the NET rankings (NCAA Evaluation Tool) start to solidify. For teams like Seton Hall—who recently cracked the Top 25 for the first time in years—every game is a must-win to maintain that resume.
Currently, Michigan and Arizona are sitting at the top of the NET, but with the way Kansas looked yesterday, expect them to climb. The margin for error is getting thinner. A "bad loss" in mid-January can be the difference between a 4-seed and an 8-seed when the selection committee meets in March.
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Basically, the ncaa basketball yesterday scores showed us that there are no "off nights." Whether it's a D-III game in Maine or a Top 25 clash in Kansas, the intensity is already at a fever pitch.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you’re following the season closely, here is how you should interpret these latest results:
- Watch the "Trap" Games: Top-ranked teams traveling to unranked conference rivals (like Marquette at DePaul) are high-risk spots. The home-court advantage in college hoops is worth about 3-4 points on average, but emotionally, it's worth much more.
- Monitor the Interior: Teams like Kansas that can dominate the paint with 80% efficiency are nearly impossible to beat in a tournament format where outside shooting can go cold.
- The CAA Defense Factor: In women's basketball, keep an eye on Stony Brook. Their defensive rotations are currently some of the best in the mid-major circuit.
Keep your eyes on the upcoming Saturday slate. With teams like Arizona, Iowa State, and UConn all in action today, the landscape is going to shift again by tonight.
Check the updated AP Top 25 and NET rankings tomorrow morning to see exactly how much Friday's chaos moved the needle for your favorite team.